US, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines Conduct Joint Exercises in the South China Sea Against China

Four air force aircraft from the United States and the Philippines are flying in formation during joint exercises held in the South China Sea last November to check China's influence. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The United States, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines will conduct joint naval and air force exercises in the South China Sea.

According to Yonhap News on the 6th, the defense ministers of these four countries announced in a joint statement that they plan to carry out "maritime cooperative activities" within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Philippines on the 7th.

In the statement, they explained that the joint exercises aim to "demonstrate our collective resolve to strengthen regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific."

They also added that the exercises will enhance the interoperability of the doctrines, tactics, techniques, and procedures of the forces of the four countries. Furthermore, the four countries reaffirmed their position that the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), which declared China's territorial claims in the South China Sea to have no legal basis, is final and legally binding.

The training location is expected to be in the waters northwest of Palawan Island, Philippines, near the Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands of the South China Sea, where China and the Philippines have recently clashed over territorial claims. (Chinese name: Ren'ai Jiao; Philippine name: Ayungin)

In this regard, earlier this month, the Australian Navy frigate HMAS Warramunga arrived at Palawan Island. Recently, there have been several direct confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels around the Second Thomas Shoal area, including collisions and water cannon attacks by Chinese coast guard ships on Philippine vessels.

The United States, Japan, and the Philippines plan to hold their first trilateral summit in Washington on the 11th to discuss recent incidents in the South China Sea and ways to counter China.